Othering is a concept coined to denote “us versus them”. Race is a form of othering which has over time been anchored on the belief that human beings are unequal. It is a way through which most economic and social injustices are justified by a certain group of people against the other. The result is social, political and economic inequality. The inequality that results from racism has over time created the white supremacy. It denotes a situation where the whites are viewed as the superior race. Other races are expected to conform to the ideals of the white race. Therefore, a debate on the role of white supremacy in the racial discussion is critical to finding a lasting solution to racism.
According to Stuart, discourse is a crucial medium between the production of knowledge and the subsequent representation of reality. He attributes it to the differentiation and construction of “the West” in government and in the intellectual circles unlike the other races. Therefore, to date they determine and set the agenda of most race discussion. Stuart notes that the whites will hear and decide what to learn in such discussions. It is their space, a feeling that mainly brings up the idea of white supremacy. This situation is propagated by the concept of othering, which is the view of people of color against the whites. Sadly, the people of color feel intimidated by the whites. As such, they cannot freely air their honest views on racism. The feeling that most racial solutions should come from the whites clearly demonstrates that white supremacy is real and can explain why we still have deeply rooted racism.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
In the quest to understand the significance of race, scholars often question the validity and value of race. In the process, some social scientists reify race in order to seek how racialization processes exist and their material effects. By doing so, they indirectly reproduce and validate racialization, a phenomenon they claim to blatantly oppose. Miles and Torres(2000) opine that race ought not to be used as social analytic tool which may indirectly further superiority and inferiority among people from different races. As such, it is has become that discussions meant to find solutions to the problems facing people of color always end up being discussions on the expectations and needs of white people which is regarded as the superior race despite refutations among scholars. This happens because people of color do not feel safe in such forums despite their overrepresentation. This is a subtle form of othering where the “battle” is between people of color and the white. The strong backgrounds and systems support favor this form of othering. People of color are seemingly disenfranchised in many aspects. This is in contrast with the confident and empowered whites.
It is therefore imperative to empower everybody since the lack of participation of people of color in matters affecting them is a show of lack of confidence and power. People of color should be allowed talk about how they feel without fear. It should be a discussion about their issues and not what is expected of them by the whites. This is only possible if people of color are empowered both mentally and economically. The discussions on discrimination should not be just in vain but should be discussions of empowerment.
The idea of white supremacy was also furthered by the western philosophy. One such philosopher was Immanuel Kant. He developed a scientific explanation and stratification of race. Kant theorized that someone’s race determined their ability for creativity and abstract thoughts. In his hierarchical categorization, Kant insinuated the white race were endowed with all talents and motives(Gupta, James, Andersen, Galabuzi & Maaka, 2007). They were able to have sound abstract thoughts. He further noted that the Hindus were more prone to love and anger despite them being calm. He noted that Hindus were more of philosophers and lacked a scientific inclination. As such, they were not in a position to understand and come up with abstract thoughts. Negros on the other hand could only be educated to the level of servitude. Finally, the indigenous America lacked passion and affect and cared for nothing.
The above categorization by Kant was a racist one. It gave the whites a loophole to look down upon other races. This can explain why most discussions are based on what the whites feel and expect. The categorization by Kant had a huge impact to the western world. It was possible because most of the western civilization was influenced by philosophy. The assertion by Kant that Hindus, Blacks and Indigenous Americans were not capable of philosophy thus became rooted in the society and helped propagate racism. It is also seen to have infiltrated the people of color as exemplified by the lack of courage and confidence to speak out their minds.
White supremacy is also embedded in subtle comments and mannerisms. That is , there are some people who often forget that he is black. Some of those people believe that this is a complement. This is racist and further expounds on the idea of white supremacy which view the supreme beings as only white. These experiences indicate that any “good” idea is the preserve of the white. The concept of “colorblind” has greatly helped further racism. This concept is used to disguise racism. It does not help in addressing the current issues of racism and how racism is impacting on the lives of those who have been segregated. The segregation occurs either individually or systematically. The term colorblind is mainly used by the young generation to insinuate that they do not see race. The young believe that racism is a concept of the older generation. However, ignoring the existed of race and its associated problems does not help in the fight for equality. Instead, it further deepens the rift as pertinent issues are always ignored. In this way, white supremacy continues unabated.
White supremacy in the U.S. dates from the foundation of United States of America. This was made possible by constant wars since the inception of the United States (Gupta, James, Andersen, Galabuzi & Maaka, 2007). The wars were anchored on othering. The U.S. played victim in all these cases and hence was able to consolidate its empire. This started by the ruthless and violent acquisition of land from the indigenous people. The indigenous were devalued. The devaluation process then continued and affected other groups of people such as the African American and the Asians. The devaluation is what led to the emergence and persistence of slave trade where blacks were condemned to servitude and menial jobs. Notably, racism is a mental illness that has plagued the American history ( Gupta, James, Andersen, Galabuzi & Maaka, 2007). It is a mental illness because it alters thinking, behavior and emotion. This can explain the treatment people of color receive from the whites. In order to cure this disease, there is a need to acknowledge that the disease exists. Further, it is important to speak it out. The white society has a great role in this fight. In order to dilute white supremacy and its contribution to racism, people should call out on family members of friends who are racists. This will slowly kill the white supremacy concept and encourage cohesion.
In conclusion, white supremacy is that tool that has been used to propagate racism. It dates from the time American was fighting for control from the indigenous. The indigenous were devalued and tortures. Some philosophers such as Immanuel Kant also helped propagate the idea of white supremacy by projecting whites as the only individuals capable of abstract thinking. Slavery also helped cement the white supremacy ideology. Blacks were seen as only capable of servitude. In order to fight the racism, there is need for a candid discussion by all races on a way forward. This discussion should start from a level ground with no race feeling superior to the other.
References
Gupta, T. D., James, C. E., Andersen, C., Galabuzi, G. E., & Maaka, C.A. (Ed.). (2007). Race and racialization: Essential readings . Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Hall, S. (2002). The West and the rest: Discourse and power. Race and Racialization, 2E: Essential Readings , 85-95.
Miles, R., & Torres, R. (2000). Does' Race'Matter? Transatlantic Perspectives on Racism after. Perspectives on Ethnicity in Canada: A Reader. Toronto: Harcourt Canada .
